Silencer.



J. FLOCKHART;

` SILENCER. APPLICATIQN FILED APR. 14. ISIS.

1,229,434. Y Patented June 12, 1917.

lphragms or partitions shall be open to UNTTED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES FLOCKHABT, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

SILENcEn To'all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES FLooni-TART, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new andA useful Improvements in Silencers; and l do declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact description o the invention, such as will 'enable others skilled in the art.to which it appertains to make and use the same, rei'- erenoe being had to the accomyianying draw ings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in means for retarding the rush of water into the Hush tanks of water closets, my object being to overcome or obviate the noise ordinarily incident to the flushing of a water closet, this noise being largely due to the rush of water into the flush tank from the supply pipe. This noise is very annoying in many instances, particularly where the w atei' pressure is high. Furthermore, it is also embarrassing, and it is, therefore, highly desirable that it should be overcome as far :is possible and. practicable.

My improvement consists in locating in the supply pipe preferably just below the flush tank, a casing considerably larger than the pipe and containing one or more diaphragms or partitions, each composed of a plurality of members open to the passage of the liquid, the flow, however, being retarded. It is not onlynecessary that these dipassage of the liquid, but it is also essential :that they possess considerable strength and rigidity, otherwise the force of the water `tions eing gered in will soon destroy them. For this reason I empioV perforated metal disks, the perforaso arranged that they are stag thetwo 'disks with reference to one another., 'yIt Vis also essential that porous material 'as woven fabric or fine mesh material or both, be located between the two per forated` disks, the mesh and woven material Y to a large extent the retarding pfforming ction, while the perforated plates sup- ,i pounds x".

ply-the necessary strength and rigidity to :resist-destination due to the force of the Water l1 has a pressure of from 150 ounds per square inch dependocation, 125 pounds pressure mgl-1,011

perslquareinch` may perhaps be considered 1' the usual or ordinary-pressure to which these Specication o1 Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1917.

Application iiled April 14, 1916. Serial No. 91,191.

diaphragme will be subjected, and assuming that the cross sectional area of the casing and of the diaphragme is four or five square inches, it will be understood that these diaphragins must be of such strength and stability as to resist several hundred pounds pressure. By staggering the perforations in the metal disks, I prevent the destruction of the woven or mesh material or both, since, if the perforations of the two metal disks were in register, the pressure of the water would form holes in the woven and mesh fabric corresponding with the jperforations in the disks. However, by staggering these perforations, the woven and mesh material has a supporting backing in one disk directly opposits the perforation in the other disk, thus compelling the water after it has passed through the perforations of one disk, to more in a horizontal direction before it can pass through the corresponding perforations of the other disk.

The number of diaphragms will depend to a large extent upon the pressure. Assuming that the pressure is 150 pounds per square inch, I prefer to employ four of these composite diaphragme, the same bei-ng spaced the one from the other. -If the pressure is 100 pounds I would suggest three of the diaphragme; if 8O pounds, two would undoubt .edly be sufficient; while if it is as low as 45 ounds, one ofthese diaphragms will sulice` It will, therefore, be understood that the in vent-ion is not limited to any precise Inunbeif of diaphragms, since the number may and should be varied according to the pressure, or as circumstances or conditions dictate or require.

Having briefiy outlined my improved con struction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the aocompanying drawing, in which is-illustrated an embodiment thereof. In this drawing,-

Figure 1 is a central vertical section taken through the casing of my improvement, illustrating the same in connection with the supply pipe for the ilush tank.

Fig. 2' is a top plan view of 'one of the metal disks forming a part of a diaphragm of my improved device.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of one of the mesh y disks..

Figl 4 is a view of one of the disks composed of coarse woven fabric. Fig. 5 'is atop" lan View of one of the rrings for spacing'tlie diaphragme. f

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a casing whose central portion 6 is preferably cylindrical in shape and whose upper and lower extremities 7 and 8 are curved inwardly terminating in nipples open to receive the parts 9 and 10 of a water supply pipe. As shown in'- the drawing, the upper nipple is provided with a stuing box construction 12 through which the pipe member passes, in order to form a watertight joint. Furthermore, as shown, the lower nipple is interiorly threaded to coperate with exterior threads formed on the pipe member 10 which is threaded thereinto. As disclosed, the in ner extremity of the pipe member 10 protrudes a short distanceinto the casing 5, and is perforated as shown at 13, the perforations being inclined downwardly to cause the water which enters the casing to movedownwardly in jets as indicated by the dotted lines 14 (see F ig. 2). The inner end o f the pipe member 10 is equipped with a cap or closure 15, thus compelling the water which enters the casing through the pipe member 10 to pass through the dowru wardly inclined perforations, and thus compelling it to rise in a volume distributed over practically the entire cross sectional area of the casing. The inner extremity 1G of the pipe member 9 also extends a short distance into the casing, but as shown in the drawing,

is open to allow the'water to pass freely thereinto from the casing.

Between these two pipe extremities, I locate the retarding diaphragms, each of which may be designated in its entirety by the numeral 17. As these diaphragms are substantially identical, a description of one will suffice for all.

As shown in the drawing, each diaphragm is composed of four members, the same consisting of two perforated plates which for convenience willbe designated 18 and 19 ,18 being the uppermost p'late and 19 the lo` ermost. It will, of course, be understood that these perforated disks` or plates are substantially identical except that their perforations are staggered lor out of alinement when they Aare assembled to formV the diaphragm 17. It is, tliere'fore, immaterial which disk, that is tofs'ay, the one designated 18er the one designated 19,'be uppermost,

so long as the staggered relation between the perforations of the t-Wo disks is maintained whenthe latter are assembled. It is my intention to so,'eonstruct and arrange the series ofv perforationsfin these two disks as to make it impossible for anytwo perforations in 'the tw disks to be brought into register when the disks are assembled'. This result may, fl; c ourse,. be accomplished by forming "the" perforations of one' disk in circles whose radii are different from those in the other disk. This will prevent the exact registration of any two disks when assembled regardless of the degree of movement to which they are subjected. Of course, in order to prevent any perforation of one disk from overlap ing in part the perforation of another disrk, there must be suflicient stock between the circles ofl the. perforations'to accomplish this purpose. In the drawing (see Fig. 2), the relative arrangement of the perforations of the two disks is illustrated, those of one disk being shown in full lines and those of the other disk in dotted lines. By showing the two sets of perforations in this figure, one set in full lines and the other set in'dotted lines, a correct idea of the principle 'of construction may be obtained, whereby the staggered relation of thc perforations in adjacent disks may be maintained when the parts of the device are assembled, regardless of the movement of either disk; and it is my in tention in practice to so make these disks that it is impossible to bring any two perforations of the two disks into alinement with each other, thus requiring no special skill or attentionin the assembling of the parts of the diaphragm.

Between the two perforated metal disks i 1S and 19, I preferably locate a disk 20 of woven fabric and a d isk 21 of metal mesh fabric, the woven fabric disk being comparatively fine. It should be understood that either the woven fabric disk or the metal mesh disk may be used alone if desired, the only desideratum being that the material arranged and located between the two perforated disks, shall be of such character as to properly perform the retarding function in coperation with the perforated, relatively heavy metal disks which give the diaphragm strength, rigidity and stability.

In assembling the diaphragm-s within the casing 5, assuming that'I employ a number of them, I'place the outer edge of the lowermost upon a circumferential shoulder -22 formed on the casing, while .the uppermost diaphragm engages a corresponding upper shoulder' 23, whilev the diaphragms between these two shoulders are spaced by metal rings 24 which 'are of a size to fit closely within the cylindrical portion of the casing,E withinfwhich vthe\ diaphragms are To facilitate the assembling of these diaphragms and rings within the casing, I preferably form the latter of two substantially twin members whose central portions have Y ing means may be employed; also that any desired or pneferable constructionl of the diaphragms are located, cylindrical, it may` y have any other suitable cross sectional area.

While the use which I have more particularly in mindi'or this device is in connection with water closets and as a partof the supply pipe equipment, it is evident that its 'use 1s not imited to the one in question, but that it is equally applicable for use in connection with other constructions where it is desirable to retard the fiow of water, for the purpose ofl overcoming the noise incident there'- to or for any otherv reason. l

It should be explained that a relatively large cross sectional area for this casing as compared with the Size of the supply pipe with which it is used, is important, since, as the normal flow of water through the inlet member 10 of the supply pipe, is retarded in the casing by the diaphragm construction, these diaphragms must Y have a relatively large -cross sectional area in order to allow a sufficient volume of water to pass through the casing within a given time, to accomplish the desired purpose. Hence, the cross sectional area of the casing 5 may be regulated as desired, such regulation depending to a large extent upon the size of the supply pipe with which it is ein loyed.

It should also be exp ained` that this device is practicable for use in connection with air or other gases as well as with li uids. In other words, it may be employe for fluids generally. y

Attention is called to the fact that the spacing of the diaphragms within the casing accomplishes an important function, since the water after diaphragm has Va compartment or space within which it circulates freely and whereby` it is Vevenly distributed for passage through the next diaphragm. Hence, it will be readily understood that by spacing the diaphragms much better results are obtained than if all of the diaphragmsA where a number are used were in actual contact and thus forming a solid porous filling. The spaced passing through eachdiaphragm constructionV while `it affords the necessary retardation of the flow of liquid, at the same tiine permits thesame to flow with the necessary freedom to accomplish the desired urpose. Y

Having t us described my invention, what I claim is,-

1. A silencery comprising in combination with a supply pipe, a casing through which the Afluid is adapted to ass in an upward course, an -upper and ower dome-shaped chamber in said casing, means for retarding the passage oiv fluid therethrough, the supply pipe projecting upwardly into the casing and provided with downwardly inclined ports for discharging the Vfluid downwardly against the wall of the lower dome-shaped chamber.

2. A silencer :comprising in combination with a supply ipe, a casing, and means lo cated therein or retarding `the passage of fluid therethrough, said means includino' a pluralit of porous diaphragms suitably spaced rom one another, each consisting of a pair of metal disks having perforations of equal size formed therein and an interposed strainer comprising disks cf Woven and metal fabric respectively, the irst named disks being so arranged that their perforations are staggered when the parts areassembled, whereby the Huid in passing through the casing caused to move at right angles to its path of travel intermediate of the diaphragms.

3. A silencer comprising in combination with a supply pipe, a casing having a cylindrical portion, means located .therein for retarding the passage of fluid therethrough, said means including a pair of perforated disks fitted into the cylindrical portion of the casing, the perforations of one disky being so disposed in relation to the perform tions of the other as to preclude the possibility of their coming into alinement or registration during rotation.

In testimon in presence o two witnesses.

Y y'JAMES FLOCKHART.

whereof I ailix my signature,-

in a given direction, is 

